Evaporative refrigerator.



A. L. VAN BUSKIRK. EVAPORATIVB RBPRIGERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30. 1912.

1,073,375. IPatented Sept. 16,191.3.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE..

ABRAHAM L. 'VANestremi-ik,4 or IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO.

:EvAroEATIvE REERIGEEATOE.

- Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented sept. 16, 1913.

Application led NovemberSO, 1912.' Serial No. 734,354.

To all wiz-om t may-concern A.' Be it known that I, ABRAHAM -L. VAN BUSKERK, a cit-izenvof the United States of America, residing at Idaho Falls,v in the' county of Bonneville and lState of Idaho, have .invented new anduseful Improvements in EvaporativeRefrigerators, of which the following is a specification.

This. invent-ion relates to yimprovements in particular applicationto a device of the class described employing' a liquid cooling agent or -refrigerating medium 4as distinguished from asolid cake of 'cooling medium such', for instance,4v as a. block :of-ice.

In carrying out the present invention, it;

1s my purpose .to lprovide-a refrigerator or cooling cabinet whereirrv'eget-ables and other eatables of a perishable naturev may be maintained fresh and cool without theInecessity of using ice orother cooling matter in block form. l V It is also my purpose to providea refrigerator wherein-by means .of-a .number of bags eachcontaining a cooling agent, the

interior of the refrigerator will be kept cold scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing; Figure 1 is a view in frontelevation of a refrigerator constructed in accordance with the present invention, the door being shown in open po sit-ion and broken away. Fig. 2 vis a transverse sectional view on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 with the door in closed position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section view on the line 3y-3 of Fig. l, and Fig. 4 isa detail perspective view of a portion of one of the bags.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the' numeral 1 indicates'the bottomfof, the refrigerator composed, in the present' instance, of two sect-ions of material 2, 3 appropriately spaced apart to form a chamber designed to contain a packing of refrigerators or cooling cabinets and has ployed to lwith the inafter set forth in and falling within the' cork 4 or other heat insulating material,

legs 5 depending from the bottom to hold the same a suitable distance above the ioor. Upstanding'fr'om the bottom 1 and suitably fastened thereto are side walls G, 6 and a rear -wall 7, each formed of two sections of material 8,8 spaced aparta suitable distance in parallelism to form a chamber 9, while any suitable manner to theupp'er fastened in edges of the sideand wall -10 of the refrigerator also composed. of

twofsections'of :materiali 11, 11 suitably spaced 'apart to'A provide a .chamber v12. Hingedly connected to the outer edge ofuone of the end walls' 6 is the door 13 ofthe refrigeratonthe latter vbeing formed of two parallel platesspaced apart a suitable' distance to form a. chamber designed to contain a'quantity of' heat insulating material such, for` instance, as cork14.

'Ihe chambers 9,9- and 12 of the side'a'nd rear andf'top vwalls ,respectively are each reary walls is the topadapted Ito contain a flexible bag 15 cion-y structed.of any. suitable porous'material such as canvas or the like and provided with aHll-ing nipple 16 whereby a quantity :of water and alcohol 0r water and ammonia may be poured thereinto, while the outer walls of said chambers are perforated as shown to permit a free circulation of air.

around the bags. Extending through the top wall 10 of the refrigerator is a suitable Ventilating pipe l?. Any suitable means, such for instance, as cages 18 may be em` prevent the bags from contacting adjacent walls of the chambers formed by the strips 0r sections of material ofthe walls of the refrigerator, while a drip pan 19 is deposited at the lower end of each chamber 9 so as to catch any liquid that may percolate through the bags. It will be noted -that the chambers 9 and 12 are in open communication with one another, thereby equalizing the cold air about the food compartments of therefrigerator. Inthe present instance, the food compartment is dividedA by means of a partition or shelf 20,'but such shelf may be eliminated if desired, or the food compartment may be divided into as many compartments asv found convenient.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, the-construction and manner of employingl myimproved refrigerator or coolingcabinetwill be readily apparent;

In operation, the liquid Withinl the bags percolates therethrough and is evaporated by the air within the chambers, the Wire cages holding the bags spaced apart frein. the walls of the chambers and so facilitatingl At he circulation of the air and the consequent evaporation. The alcohol or ammonia. Within tuhe water freely commingles with the latter and upon percolating through the bags Ain and evaporating extracts the heat units from the surrounding air so as to maintain the latter cool.

It will be seen that I have provided a refrigerator wherein the food compartment is at all times maintained cold Without the use of ice or the like and whereby the-cold air surrounding such food compartment is equalized.

lVhile I have herein k:shown and described one preferred form of my invention by Way of illustration, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit or confine myself to the precise details of construction herein de` scribed and delineated, 'as modification and variation may be made Within the scope of the claims and Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A refrigerator including side, top and end walls each formed of two independent with rone another, a porous bag, disposed within each chamber and containing a-ceoling agent, and means holding each. bagsas-v pended Within the respective'chamb'er anti.

adjacent Walls of the-chamber. 3. A refrigerator including side,jtop and end Walls each formed with a chamber, all

of said chambers having communication.

with one another, a porous bag disposed within each chamber and containing a cool- 'ing agent, and a cage holding" each bag suspended withinthe respective chamber and the sides of the bag out vof contact iwith the adjacent Walls of the chamber.

In testimony whereof I` aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.'

ABRAHAM L. VAN BUSKIRK. W itnesses FRED LUTz,

sections of material spaced apart to provide FRED P. HOEKE.

the sides of the bag out of contact 'with the f Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve' cents each, by addressing the: Commissioner of Patents, y

' Washington, D. C. 

